]]>Christmas is almost here (can you believe it?!) and, with that, a lot of people struggling for gift ideas for their loved ones. Anyone who knows me well knows that I have been a Pandora fan from the beginning – my collection just keeps growing (most recently at a 3 for 2 event I was invited to as a VIP Pandora member).

Aren’t they cute?!

SHOP THESE CHARMS:

Anyway, back to the topic at hand. I am forever leaving the present buying until the last minute because I never know what to buy people, whether it be Christmas, birthdays or other special occasions. I know I’m not the only one. That’s why, today, I’m giving you my 10 gift ideas for my fellow Pandora lovers. So, low and behold…

For The Love In Your Life….

Jewellery is the perfect way to say I love you… Here’s a few to choose from to show that special someone just how much you love them.

For The Disney Princess….

Who doesn’t love a bit of Disney? I know I sure do! From Frozen to Beauty and the Beast, there’s bound to be something she’ll love. Mrs Potts and Chip has to be my favourite Disney charm!

For The Traveller….

You all know just how much I love travelling, so here’s a selection of charms for the wanderlusters of the world.

For The Animal Lover….

Everyone has a favourite animal… if you don’t, what’s wrong with you? Na, just kidding. But in all seriousness, just look at that little elephant – it’s little wonder I had to get my hands on him during the 3 for 2 promotion.

For The Family Gal….

What a perfect way for a girl to show just how much family means to her.

For Those Special Occasions….

Some occasions are just plain complicated to buy a gift for. Graduation and a new arrival are certainly two I struggle with sometimes… So here’s a few charms to help.

For A Little Personalisation….

Everyone loves a little personalisation from time to time. Why not pick up something to mark their birth month?

For That Beloved Family Member….

It’s great to know how loved you are in your family. This is the perfect way to show your family members that you’re thinking of them.

For That Amazing Friend….

Friends help the world go round. Day or night, they’ll be there for us. Show them how much you appreciate them with one of these adorable charms.

For Santa’s Little Helper….

The colours of the Christmas charms are what makes them so striking. My personal favourite? It’s got to be Rudolph or the polar bear.

So, there you have it… 10 gift ideas for the Pandora fanatic. That, hopefully, alleviates those stressful, last-minute shopping moments but, if you’re still struggling after all of these, there’s lots more to be found on the Pandora website. Now, enjoy the rest of your weekends with one less thing to worry about.

Which of these are your favourites? Let me know down below. Don’t forget to share – help a struggling friend out this Christmas.

*This post contains affiliate links, and I may receive commission if you purchase through them*

]]>In April, the BH Cosmetics x Carli Bybel Deluxe Edition palette was released, and I was lucky enough to get myself on the preorder list. After seeing both the design and the shades inside, I knew I couldn’t miss the opportunity.

In today’s post, I’ll give you a view of the palette, my thoughts about it and, of course, some swatches. Many of you have probably tried this palette by now but, for those who haven’t, here’s what you’re missing.

Design

As you can see, the design is simple and elegant, and what drew my eye towards it in the first place. The rose gold cursive on a white pillow effect is beautiful, while refreshing as it’s not the classic marble that’s currently all the rage.

Colours

Onto the colours, and where do I start? The warm colours of the 15 eyeshadows really are something to pore over, especially with a mix of matte and shimmer shades. Starting with a row of pink hues, through purple and ending with brown and neutrals, there’s a colour for every occasion.

The obvious differentiation between the shadows and the highlighter/bronzer shades also makes for a smart, and lovely, arrangement. Not to mention the range of shades available… no matter what skin tone, there’s a highlighter for you.

Swatches

The top two photos show swatches using a brush, while I swatched each colour in the other pictures using my finger, both with no primer and only one swipe. This helps give an accurate representation of the pigmentation, however, even then, these pictures do not do this palette justice! But as you can see, the colours are bright and pigmented (although, you’ll have to excuse my pale arm!).

I found most of the eye colours to be buttery and smooth to swatch, with only a few inconsistencies. As you would expect, the matte shades have some fallout but it is minimal. As for the shimmer shades, this is one palette which doesn’t require a dampened brush to seek the true potential. I was amazed at just how pigmented they were upon application.

The highlighters are, also, absolutely stunning. That glow is just something to admire. Again, they’re smooth, buttery and so so pigmented. The range of colours means everyone is able to find a shade to love, and I, personally, am wowed by this palette.

As a whole, the range of eyeshadow shades is excellent, making this palette really versatile for a whole host of different occasions. It’s become one of my go-to palettes when I’m off on my travels, saving space and still leaving my makeup looking fineeeeee. So, without further ado, here’s a few of the looks I’ve created using this palette!

A few looks…

All in all, I am LOVING this palette. Are you? If so, shop the palette below (psst, there’s currently a 30% sale on for Black Friday… get in quick!)

If you’ve used this palette, let me know what you think! Until next time, lovelies.

]]>Happy weekend all. I hope it’s a been an enjoyable one so far. Today’s been a whole lot of cleaning, blogging and uni-working for me. Today on Simply AJ, I’m talking about an event I went to last week… One which I was very lucky to be able to attend, a huge thank you to Laura at ELLEfluence. Now, if you follow me on social media, you’ll know exactly which event I’m talking about. That’s right: the Too Faced Christmas Collection at Debenhams, Eldon Square.

I arrived slightly late (thanks to Newcastle’s bussing timetable, or lack thereof) so I missed the passing around of the palettes and the chance to swatch the products. I didn’t miss my chance to get a glass of prosecco on arrival though, thanks Michael! When I arrived, Michael was in the middle of explaining a little bit about the brand and the TWO new Christmas products. I did manage to get a quick peek at one of the palettes before handing over to Michael for a demonstration.

Michael created a lovely, subtle, gold eye look using the Best Year Ever 2018 palette from the Pretty Little Planner set, featuring the lovely Diane from Studio Nailz and Beauty.

Too Faced Christmas Collection

So, the bit you’ve been waiting for….

This year, Too Faced have released TWO products, just in time for the commencing of Christmas shopping.

The first is the Pretty Little Planner set, retailing at £34. Alongside the palette, which contains 15 beautiful shades (both matte and shimmer), you get a Better Than Sex mascara, a gorgeous little planner, and stickers: all in a beautiful, bag-sized zipped pouch, with a mirror too!

The second is the Best Year Ever set, retailing at £46. In this set you get, not just one palette, but THREE palettes, and a Better Than Sex mascara! How amazing is that? Each palette contains 6 beautiful eye shades, and either a contour, a highlighter or a blush shade. That’s 18 eye shades, plus a highlighter, contour and blush all for £46! Again, with a choice of matte and shimmer shades, you’re sure to create that perfect look every time.

Overall

Not only did we get a glass of prosecco on arrival, a fabulous demonstration from the lovely Michael Fenwick and a sneak peak at the new sets, butttt…. we also had access to a fully stocked sweet stand (which everyone took full advantage of) and a stunning little goody bag.

Of course, I just couldn’t resist purchasing the pretty little planner set too – I mean, it’s just so pretty! Ladies, it’s time to add Too Faced onto your Christmas List, because you don’t want to miss out (Men, take note!).

Thanks again to the lovely Laura and Michael for hosting this event: it was a great night!

What do you think of the new sets? Will you be adding to your Christmas list? Let me know in the comments below.

]]>http://simplyaj.co.uk/too-faced-christmas-collection/feed/0Chronically Inspired Turned Simply AJ!http://simplyaj.co.uk/chronically-inspired-turned-simply-aj/
http://simplyaj.co.uk/chronically-inspired-turned-simply-aj/#respondSat, 21 Oct 2017 17:00:17 +0000http://simplyaj.co.uk/?p=645Hello lovelies. Many of you will have noticed that my blog has recently gone through a few changes… some pretty substantial changes at that: new name, new theme, new style.…

Many of you will have noticed that my blog has recently gone through a few changes… some pretty substantial changes at that: new name, new theme, new style. So, today I’m writing and explaining a little bit more about those changes, and the reasons behind them.

Chronically Inspired Life Became Simply AJ

Perhaps one of the biggest and, most recognisable changes, is the name change; Simply AJ.

Although Chronically Inspired Life summed up what my blog was all about, I never completely LOVED the name. As previously explained (in my welcome post), I have another blog which focuses on chronic illness. I created THIS blog so that it was separate from that but the “chronically” part never really separated it all that much.

Now that this blog is really starting to gain momentum, I really wanted to add a bit more personalisation to it. I spent weeks, if not months, toying around with different names and ideas and, once again, never really loving them. Then, one night, Simply AJ popped into my head and I couldn’t shake it (Shannon can attest to this!). So much so, that I knew I just had to start my blog changes right away – hence the lack of forewarning, sorry everyone!

So, where did the name come from? AJ are my initials – they stand for Abbie Joann. Simply? I always try and be myself, and hence Simply AJ – it was perfect, and I LOVE IT.

Where there’s a blog, there’s a theme

Although I did love my previous theme, it just wasn’t the look I wanted for the rebrand – that meant it was time for a change. I lost count of how many themes I scrolled through and how many live previews I tried. Then I found this one. It fitted so perfectly to what I was looking for.

If you’re a regular reader, you will know that photography is a big part of each of my posts and so, I decided, I wanted to showcase that more. The grid theme, the portrait aspect of photos and a slider across the top… what more could a gal want? I think it looks so much more approachable and professional now. What do you think? I would love to hear your opinions!

Well that’s it for today… I do hope you love the changes as much as I do! Don’t forget to share these changes with your friends, using the share buttons below.

The Body Shop… Who doesn’t love it? I know I sure do, with it’s fabulous range of products and its stance on animal testing. That’s why, when I was invited to their Autumn blogger event at the Metrocentre, I couldn’t be any more excited. Hosted by the wonderful Gianni over at The G Edit, us North East bloggers had the store to ourselves, with lots of stations and goodies to explore.

Introducing Ourselves

When we arrived, we were greeted by Gianni and the lovely staff members, and were given our name badges. Now, as I was a plus one (thanks Shannon!), I didn’t actually have one waiting for me. So I got to make my own (more about it later!)… this is the result.

The Halloween Collection

Halloween is almost upon us… that means fancy dress, lots of face paint and, obviously, plenty of pumpkins. For The Body Shop, that means the new, limited edition Vanilla Pumpkin range. With a sweet, biscuit smell it sure reminded me of some good ol’ home-baking. Between the body butter, hand cream, shower gel and body mist there’s plenty of choice and you’re sure not to miss out.

SHOP HALLOWEEN COLLECTION:

#ForeverAgainstAnimalTesting

Of course, Shannon and I headed straight to the selfie station. I mean, who can resist the chance for a selfie? However, it’s for a great cause… The Body Shop was the first global brand to fight animal testing but, with over 80% still allowing it, we signed the petition for the ban on animal testing across the world. Having already accumulated over 3 million signatures in such a short time, they’re well on the way. If you want to sign, please click the link below.

Hand Massage

The next station involved an amazing hand massage, with my own choice of range to use – I chose the Almond Milk & Honey range. With an exfoliation using the scrub and the body butter to follow, my hands were left smelling divine!

Personalised Body Butter

I love any type of personalised addition to my collection, so a personalised body butter is a very welcome addition. It was a tough choice between the blueberry, raspberry and peach but I, eventually, chose the blueberry – with the badge to match.

To get your personalised body butter, head into your nearest store, pick your favourite body butter and claim your badge. It only takes a few minutes!

Skin Consultation

Recently, I’ve been having lots of problems with my skin so I took the opportunity to have a skin consultation. I discussed my concerns about my spots/blemishes, something I’ve never struggled with until now, and oily skin, and the lovely Moones collected together some products to try. She started with the cleansing of my face with tea tree wipes, while recommending that the cleansing face wash would be the preferable option – obviously that’s not practical in the middle of a store! Next she moved on to the seaweed oil-balancing toner, then the tea tree anti-perfection daily solution ending with the drops of youth youth cream. Before she started applying these products, she tested my skin balance – it read 31.3%. She tested again afterwards… the reading was 59.1%.

Of course, after such an amazing result, I just had to purchase these products and incorporate them into my skincare routine (more on this in a future post).

Overall

Overall, this was a great event… I came away with lots of new products, and of course a little goody bag. A huge thanks to Gianni and the Metrocentre store for hosting this event, and all the lovely staff members.

]]>http://simplyaj.co.uk/the-body-shop-x-the-g-edit/feed/0Kicking Procrastination to the Curbhttp://simplyaj.co.uk/kicking-procrastination/
http://simplyaj.co.uk/kicking-procrastination/#commentsTue, 15 Aug 2017 07:00:25 +0000http://simplyaj.co.uk/?p=387Procrastination: something we’ve all heard of, participated in and, probably, found it hard to avoid at one time or another. I, for one, am one of those people. I’m one…

]]>Procrastination: something we’ve all heard of, participated in and, probably, found it hard to avoid at one time or another. I, for one, am one of those people. I’m one of those who, for the most part, doesn’t do it on purpose; my brain just works too quickly for my body.

Graduating uni, hunting for a graduate job and working on a part-time basis has only increased my procrastination habits. Something I’m not proud of, and something I’ve definitely been trying to overcome desperately. My worst habit? Social media. With both personal accounts and blogging (both) accounts, you can imagine just how much scrolling I can do. Again, not purposely. I’ll go on to look at a notification, then just automatically start scrolling. I soon realise what I’m doing, stop and go back to what I SHOULD be doing, but I would say it racks up around 2 hours a day easily.

That’s why, when I was challenged by Monarch Airlines to see how much time I wasted procrastinating, I was eager to accept! It shocked me to see just how many countries I could have visited instead of scrolling and admiring pictures from those places – we all know how much I love travelling!!!

With so many things on my to-do list, and only so many hours, seeing this kickstarted me into action.

So, let’s see how I got on…

Masters

As many of you will know, I graduated from university in May. While I was in Gran Canaria I received my results and it was confirmed not long after that I would be receiving a 2:1 on the York Minster stage in November. Because of this 2:1, I was offered a half-scholarship to go back and complete a Masters.

I spent a long time debating about whether it was the right decision for me. My university undergraduate experience wasn’t a great one, and something I wasn’t willing to push myself to go back to.

I finally made time to consider everything; pros, cons, facts and thoughts. I decided that it was worth applying for, even if I decided not to accept any possible offer I might receive. I received an unconditional offer.

Flat

As much as it’s been great being back home, having lived away for 3 years, it’s been hard settling back in with the rents. I love them dearly, but I have decided I need my own space back. Even more so now, if I decide to go back to university.

After a couple of months searching, I finally worked out my maximum possible monthly spending and requested viewings for those that fit the bill (literally).

After plenty viewings, plenty phone calls with agents and plenty trying to (somehow) increase my monthly budget, I now finally have a flat. Yippee!

Shannon and I will be moving in together at the beginning of September – it’s amazing how much you can afford when you’re splitting the costs between two people! We are so happy and so excited for our next chapters to begin.

A celebratory trip to Whitley Bay in the good weather was in order and, of course, an ice-cream too.

Blogging

Since I started blogging, and especially since I started my second blog, my “to read” list has been ever-growing, with no sign of it reducing. With the extra time available, I have FINALLY made a start on that list and am discovering new, great blogs everyday. If you’ve got some suggestions, don’t forget to drop them below and I’d love to check them out!

Not only have I managed to read loads, I’ve also managed to plan and write a lot too. I’ve had all these ideas of posts I want to write in the future, but never got them down on paper. I finally managed to do just that, and now I’ve started the kicking procrastination habit, I should have plenty of time to type them up.

Overall

On top of reducing my to-do list, I’ve also managed to get into a better nighttime routine. This routine combined with cutting out scrolling through social media (no backlights right before going to sleep), means that I’m sleeping better and, therefore, finding myself with more energy throughout the day.

As you can see, it’s been a pretty productive week for me. It’s surprising how much you can get done when you give up procrastinating and get stuff done. My to-do list has halved in such a short space of time, although I’ve only highlighted my three main achievements.

Now that I’ve started, I’m going to try to continue on this path of kicking procrastination to the curb.

Are you interested in seeing where you could have travelled to in the time you’ve spent procrastinating? If so, you can find the link here. Don’t forget to let me know your results below.

]]>http://simplyaj.co.uk/kicking-procrastination/feed/2July Glossybox: Reveal and Reviewhttp://simplyaj.co.uk/july-glossybox-reveal-review/
http://simplyaj.co.uk/july-glossybox-reveal-review/#respondFri, 21 Jul 2017 07:00:36 +0000http://simplyaj.co.uk/?p=304Morning all, last week I received my July Glossybox. Today, I am revealing and reviewing that products I received. For those of you who don’t know, Glossybox is a beauty,…

]]>Morning all, last week I received my July Glossybox. Today, I am revealing and reviewing that products I received.

For those of you who don’t know, Glossybox is a beauty, monthly subscription box priced at £10 (plus P&P). It includes five beauty products, some full size and some sample size. I signed up for the box a few months ago, but I’ve only just got around to writing my reviews!

So, without further ado… July’s Glossybox!

The first of their summer collector editions, July is the travel edition. I love it… it’s a reminder that Summer has truly started.

MONUspa Soothing After Sun Lotion

When my Glossybox turned up, I was suffering with very dry skin on my arms and legs. I get this from time to time, but I’d just got back from 3 weeks away. I figured my skin was too hydrated and so took the opportunity to start using this as soon as I opened the box.

With Aloe Vera and Shea Butter in, it has a creamy texture AND has an amazing citrus scent!

I have used it every day for the past week, and my skin is recovering so well. I’d 100% recommend this.

Papanga Spiral Hairbands

I’d never heard of spiral hairbands, until a few months ago when the girls and I went on our Spa trip. I found out that they were designed to stop the crease you get in your hair from elastic hairbands.

I spotted some in Primark when I was picking up a few last bits for my holiday – 10 for £1.

Therefore, although glad that I have more to add to the collection, I’m not sure I would spend £4.99 for two. They both do the same job, so why not go for the cheaper alternative!

So, there we have it… My thoughts on this month’s Glossybox. It’s safe to say, I absolutely loved this month’s selection – both the products and the variety I received. I can’t wait to see what’s to come next month!

]]>http://simplyaj.co.uk/july-glossybox-reveal-review/feed/0Spring Throwback: Haltwhistle, Northumberlandhttp://simplyaj.co.uk/spring-throwback/
http://simplyaj.co.uk/spring-throwback/#commentsWed, 19 Jul 2017 14:30:30 +0000http://simplyaj.co.uk/?p=266Afternoon Lovelies. We are now, almost, a month into summer, although you wouldn’t think it looking out the window today. Northumberland skies are a picture of grey and gloom today,…

We are now, almost, a month into summer, although you wouldn’t think it looking out the window today. Northumberland skies are a picture of grey and gloom today, but after a few days sunshine and warmth, you could call it refreshing. I made the most of Monday’s sunny day by grabbing my camera and heading into the garden.

For now though, I’m throwing it back to Spring and showing you some of the fantastic photos I captured.

Landscape

Taken in my hometown of Haltwhistle, I’d forgotten just how glorious this place could be.

Nature

Because who doesn’t love daffodils, right? They’re one of the reasons why Spring is becoming my favourite season of the year!

Of course, I couldn’t post all these photos and not include the one of Tilly I snapped upon my return home! I mean, it is unusual for her to sit still long enough for me to get a decent picture like this (I think she’s a bit camera-shy).

So there you have it, my first photography post on the blog and a little snippet into what my hometown looks like at the beginning of Spring. I hope you enjoy the pictures, as much as I enjoyed capturing them!

Don’t worry, I will be posting my ones from yesterday’s garden ventures in a few weeks. Can’t wait that long? Keep an eye out on Instagram for more photos and other news.

]]>http://simplyaj.co.uk/spring-throwback/feed/2Too Faced: The Natural Love Collectionhttp://simplyaj.co.uk/too-faced-natural-love/
http://simplyaj.co.uk/too-faced-natural-love/#commentsFri, 14 Jul 2017 19:00:04 +0000http://simplyaj.co.uk/?p=242A few months ago, Too Faced announced their newest palette: the Natural Love collection. As a big Too Faced fan, of course I just HAD to add it to my…

]]>A few months ago, Too Faced announced their newest palette: the Natural Love collection. As a big Too Faced fan, of course I just HAD to add it to my ever-growing makeup collection.

Before I’d even spotted the neutral shades of this palette, the packaging had me sold. Anyone who knows me, knows that I’m a sucker for pretty things. I mean, look, it’s just SO DARN PRETTY!

If you think the outside is amazing, just wait until you see inside… especially if you’re a neutral shade lover like me. With 30 matte, shimmer AND sparkle shades, you’re sure to be able to create a perfect poppin’ lookfor every occasion.

If you’re finding yourself overwhelmed on looks to create with this palette, worry not, there’s a Glamour Guide to help. This easy-to-follow guide provides a few looks for you to recreate.

Despite my love for this palette, it comes with a few downfalls. Firstly, with only 7 matte shades, and most of them in the lighter shades, it’s hard to find a good transition shade. Having 30 shades in the collection, I found this really disappointing.

The fallout and pigment were some other issues for me. I found that I had to layer A LOTto get the full extent of the colour. I feel that the product needs to be slightly more creamy, so that they don’t fly out the pan upon touching.

As you can see in the photos, some of the darker shades are somewhat streaky while some of the lighter shades are barely noticeable.

Overall Thoughts

Overall, I am a big fan of this palette. The collection of neutral shades together (and, of course, the packaging) makes it a practical and pretty palette for everyday use. However, if you’re a seasoned Too Faced fan and have the other “Natural” palettes, it may not be worth the £52 ($59) as, almost half of the shades, have been taken from these previous collections.

If you’re looking for a practical, neutral palette and don’t mind a bit of layering, then this palette is for you.

]]>http://simplyaj.co.uk/too-faced-natural-love/feed/2American Travels: An Introductionhttp://simplyaj.co.uk/americantravelsintroduction/
http://simplyaj.co.uk/americantravelsintroduction/#commentsWed, 24 May 2017 08:00:47 +0000http://simplyaj.co.uk/?p=175Who’s been to America? Who would like to go to America? Who would love to travel America? I hope I’m not the only one who answered “me” to those three…

]]>Who’s been to America? Who would like to go to America? Who would love to travel America?

I hope I’m not the only one who answered “me” to those three questions. Last summer, I spent four short months in America working at a summer camp and then travelling afterwards. I went from zero to fifteen states, mainly in the space of 4 weeks. I definitely saw more than my fair share and loved it all, which is why I want to share some of the amazing places I visited, so this is just a little introduction into my travel series.

This time last year, my adventures had already begun. In fact, at the end of last week, these photos appeared on my Facebook memories.

They serve as a reminder that, unfortunately, I’m not jetting off there again this summer like so many others I know! However, I wish them all another absolutely amazing, and mind-blowing, summer!

This series of blog posts will include these amazing places illustrated below, with a few stops on the way.

Image Credit: Intrepid Travel

This tour was completed with Intrepid Travel and is called the Best of America tour (for those of you interested). I spent little over 3 weeks in a minibus with 10 – 14 people travelling from place to place laughing, sleeping and drinking our way to the best memories ever.

I’ll be talking about great places to visit, the best and worst moments, the funny stories and, of course, the embarrassing stories too! Looking back on all these pictures, it STILL feels like it was all just a dream.

I can’t wait to start sharing my amazing experience with you all. America didn’t just leave a stamp in my passport, but a stamp on my heart too.